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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · net · face · temple · stand · prune · lean · object

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. net — in sport
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. object — to protest
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. press — newspapers
  7. face — part of the head
  8. net — after costs
  9. lean — to bend
  10. press — a publisher
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. object — an aim
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. prune — to trim
  16. press — to push
  17. net — for catching
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lean — thin
  20. stand — to bear
  21. face — to point toward
  22. object — a thing
  23. prune — to trim
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com